A WhatsApp QR code is a link in the form https://wa.me/<number>; scanning it opens a chat with that number, optionally with a message already typed in the box. The person scanning does not need to save your number first, and you do not need a WhatsApp Business account for it to work.
This generator builds the link in your browser and turns it into a static QR code. Nothing is uploaded, and the code keeps working for as long as the number stays active on WhatsApp.
How do you make a WhatsApp QR code?
- Type the WhatsApp number in the WhatsApp Number field, country code first. Formatting such as
+1 (555) 010-0199is fine; the generator strips everything except digits. - Optionally write a Pre-filled Message. Leave it empty for a plain "open a chat" code.
- Style the code, download it as PNG or SVG, and test it with a phone that is not logged in as you.
What does the code actually contain?
With the message "Hi! I saw your menu and would like to book a table." the generator produces this exact text:
https://wa.me/15550100199?text=Hi!%20I%20saw%20your%20menu%20and%20would%20like%20to%20book%20a%20table.Without a message, the ?text= part is dropped entirely and the code holds just https://wa.me/15550100199, which is shorter and therefore easier to scan at small sizes. The message is percent-encoded, so spaces become %20. Every character of it counts toward the QR's capacity, which is why long scripted openers make for denser, harder-to-scan codes.
What phone number format does WhatsApp accept?
WhatsApp's click-to-chat documentation asks for the full number in international format with no zeros, brackets, dashes, or plus sign in front. Getting this wrong is a common reason hand-made WhatsApp links fail: wa.me/+1 555 010 0199 is not a valid link, while wa.me/15550100199 is.
| What you type | What goes in the link | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| +1 (555) 010-0199 | 15550100199 | None; punctuation is stripped |
| +44 7911 123456 | 447911123456 | Keeping the UK trunk "0" as +44 07911… gives a number WhatsApp cannot find |
| 0791 1123456 (no country code) | 07911123456 | Missing the country code, so the link points nowhere useful |
The generator removes punctuation, but it cannot know which country you meant. If you type a local-format number, you get a local-format link. Always start with the country code.
Does the pre-filled message send itself?
No. It appears in the chat box and the scanner still has to press send, which also means they can edit it first. That is a feature: a message like "Table 7, order status?" tells you where the request came from without asking anyone to type it.
Use different messages on different placements, such as one on the storefront window and another on the invoice, and you can tell from the first line of each chat which sign it came from. WhatsApp will not report scan counts to you; a static code has no analytics at all.
Should you put a personal number on a public code?
Think about this before printing. Anyone who scans the code, or who photographs it and decodes it later, gets the number. A shop poster is visible to strangers for as long as it hangs there. If the number is your personal one, use a dedicated business line instead, or a second number you can retire.
The trade-off runs the other way for closed audiences. A code on a conference badge or a staff-only handbook exposes the number to a small group, which is usually acceptable.
When is a WhatsApp QR code the wrong choice?
- Your audience mostly does not use WhatsApp. People without the app land on a page that asks them to install it. An SMS QR code or phone QR code can offer an alternative on devices with a compatible scanner and calling or messaging support. Print the number as a fallback.
- You need to change the number later. A static code cannot be edited after printing. If the number might change, plan for reprinting or use a redirect you control.
- You need scan counts. Static codes do not track. See how QR code tracking works for the options.
How do you test it before printing?
Scan with a phone that has never chatted with the number, on both iOS and Android if you can. Confirm the correct name or business profile appears, that the message reads as you intended, and that it fits without truncation. For a print run, check the physical size against the print size guide, and run the file through the scannability tester to see how it holds up with glare and low light. For more on where WhatsApp codes work well, read QR codes for WhatsApp.